Treatment activists detained and deported from Tanzania during World Economic Forum on Africa

On the opening day of the World Economic Forum on Africa (May 5) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, a group of nine AIDS activists from across the continent were detained for questioning by the Tanzanian authorities after they handed over a memorandum to Yvonne Chaka Chaka, the UN Goodwill Ambassador for the region, and to Christoph Ben, the director of External Relations for GFATM, entitled “Health is Wealth”, which emphasized the need for increased investment in health, particularly HIV, TB and malaria.

The memorandum was supposed to be handed over at a peaceful march with Tanzanian community groups, but the march was cancelled the night before as the government revoked the permit to demonstrate. Once the group handed over the memorandum outside the conference facilities, they were detained by police for questioning. While no charges were issued, the group was escorted under heavy security to their hotel and the airport under police supervision and requested to leave on the next flight, while an authority notice “Prohibited immigrant” was issued in their passports.

Those detained were Paula Akugizibwe and Lynette Mabote from the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa; Bactrin Killingo, James Kayo and Netsayi Dzinoreva from the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition; Linda Mafu and Soraya Matthews from the World AIDS Campaign; Sydney Hushie from the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS; and Michael O’Connor from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. All have now left Tanzania.

All activists within ITPC global and regional networks in solidarity support and praise our colleagues who have inspired us with courage and determination to confront government and donor cutbacks on AIDS and health spending.